Affordable Homeownership Preservation Grant Program

Very low-income, and other at-risk homeowners (seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans) are often at risk of losing their homes due to expense of resolving housing code issues and other deferred maintenance. Regulatory Services has worked with these homeowners to address underlying concerns, but does not have funding to contribute for repairs.

Regulatory Services proposes to extend and expand the current pilot project between our Homeowner Navigation Program and Habitat for Humanity, to provide micro-grants and assistance with repairs to vulnerable homeowners. Regulatory Services would give the funds to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, who would distribute the funds to qualified homeowners.

Heritage Park Emergency Stabilization Support

Heritage Park, a mixed-income housing community constructed in the early 2000s by McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) and Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) has significant recapitalization needs, including immediate infrastructure, lighting, and security improvements.

This funding will cover the cost of a series of immediately needed physical safety improvements at Heritage Park, informed by extensive community engagement, while plans for a larger recapitalization of the properties are developed.

NOAH Preservation Fund

Post-pandemic housing market uncertainties may present additional opportunities for preservation buyers to acquire NOAH properties as current owners look to sell.

This funding will increase resources available in two existing NOAH acquisition programs (NOAH Preservation Fund and Small and Medium Multifamily program). Under current program rules, this amount will support acquisition and preservation of 100-200 NOAH units. Funds could also potentially support Opportunity to Purchase transactions.

Encampment Response

Due to COVID and the subsequent increase in the number of homeless encampments, there is an increased need to provide porta potties, handwashing stations, used syringe boxes, hygiene kits, PPE and drinking water. These provisions help prevent the spread of infectious diseases including COVID, Hepatitis and HIV, fund community outreach partners and provide a safe and secure storage place for personal items.

This funding will support for the provision of and servicing of hygiene stations (porta potty, handwashing, syringe litter). Fund community outreach partners, through an RFP process, to provide health related outreach to homeless individuals with a particular focus on encampments. Develop and implement a plan that will result in homeless individuals having a location or an item that would allow them to keep personal items safe and secure. Provide micro grants to our Outreach partners so that they can purchase supplies for distribution and equip our Homeless Response Coordinators with supplies that they can distribute as they visit the various encampments.

Supportive Housing for Persons Experiencing Homelessness

There is a severe shortage of housing that is affordable to individuals with incomes at or below 30% AMI with services available to support the health and housing stability of residents. The City needs new housing models for people who are experiencing homelessness, including low barrier and supportive housing.

Funds will be used to support acquisition and/or rehab of housing, either in one location or scattered site, to serve people who are transitioning out of homelessness.

Expand Homeownership to BIPOC Households in Harrison

The Harrison townhomes is a 17-unit project that seeks to provide perpetually affordable homes at 80% of AMI or below. The request would provide additional development gap subsidy to serve lower-income households, incomes of 41-60% AMI, through perpetually affordable housing.

This proposal seeks to make the Harrison Townhomes development more accessible to households below 60% AMI, which will improve access by both Harrison neighborhood residents and BIPOC renters city-wide. Harrison Townhomes (formerly known as LEEF Townhomes) is being developed through a partnership of City of Lakes Community Land Trust, Habitat for Humanity and Harrison Neighborhood Association.

First Mortgage Equity Loan Fund

Reduce racial disparities in homeownership by contributing to an equity pool to contribute to manual underwriting of first mortgage products and reduce barriers to homeownership. Barriers in homeownership are anticipated to be more pronounced due to the economic impacts, such as income loss or higher medical or dependent care expenses, of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Build Wealth Minnesota, Inc. (BWM) proposes to assist households with underwriting barriers to conventional first mortgage products by manually underwriting loans in compliance with FHA standards. Manual underwriting is expected to assist households with credit or other barriers to securing a first mortgage.

Low Barrier Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Pilot

There is a severe shortage of housing affordable to individuals with incomes at or below 30% AMI. Many persons experiencing homelessness served by shelters could afford to pay rent, if more deeply affordable options were available. Single Room Occupancy (SRO) units have historically been a cost-effective part of the housing continuum serving extremely low-income individuals.

This funding will support development and implementation of a new pilot program to fund acquisition, rehabilitation or adaptive re-use, and/or operating reserves for SRO-type properties in partnership with Hennepin County. This funding level will support acquisition/development of up to approximately 75 SRO dwelling units.